Within electronic device manufacturing, a planarization process may be used to remove various layers or films, such as silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, copper, or the like from a substrate (e.g., a patterned substrate). Planarization may be accomplished using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process by applying abrasive slurry between a polishing pad and the substrate surface to be polished (e.g., planarized).
Once the CMP process is completed on the substrate, one or more post-planarization cleaning processes may take place thereon. In some instances, post-CMP processing includes cleaning within a tank of liquid (or a bath) followed by, and possibly even preceded by, a rinsing bath (e.g., within a separate tank) to achieve desirable cleaning levels. Upon being removed from the rinsing bath, a drying apparatus (e.g., a Marangoni dryer) may be used to blow off bath fluid from a surface of the substrate.
During one or more of the cleaning processes, the substrates (e.g., substrates) may be transported and gripped by a gripper mechanism. However, existing grippers suffer from various problems. Accordingly, improved gripper apparatus adapted to grip and move substrates are sought.